Process of treating fabric and article produced



Patented Nov. 2 1926.

A UNITED STATES 1,605,649 PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST B. CURTIS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN RUBBER COMPANY, OF EAST CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- CHUSETTS.

PROCESS OF TREATING FABRIC AND ARTICLE PRODUCED.

No Drawing.

This invention relates to a process of treating fabrics and to the article produced, more particularly to a process for treating materlal such as haircloth to prevent raveling thereof and to the article produced thereby.

For many years a woven fabric known as haircloth-has been produced, which is made by weaving the relatively. stiff and coarse W hairs obtained from the tails and manes-of horses and from cattle, and such cloth has come into extensive use by tailors as a stiffening material in clothing to assist it in retaini'ng its shape. The cloth commonly used for this purpose is not formed entirely of hair, but is made with warp threads of cotton or similar material, while the filler threads are composed of hair. A serious objection to the) use of such material in clothing is that owing to the stiffness, coarseness and gloss of the hair it is not strongly held in its woven condition, but tends to work out or unraveL- The ends of suchloose hairs coming in contact with the 26 body of the wearer are very uncomfortable, While if they work out to the exterior of the artilc-le of clothing its appearance is injured. -It is my belief that attempts have been made to prevent this-unraveling by coating the hair cloth with some form of sizing material or with unvulcanized rubber cement or balata. Such sizing, however is relatively stiff and inflexible and cracks uri'ng. wear, and if the article is subjected to steaming or wet cleaning the size dissolves. Hence the hair in the hair cloth treated in this manner tends to work out in the same way as with untreated haircloth. In the case of haircloth treated with unvulcanized Application filed July 17,

rubber cement or balata these materials are 1923. Serial No, 652,203.

rials used for cleaning clothing. In one example the haircloth may be impregnated, as by dipping, spraying or in any other suitable manner, wlth rubber latex and the fabric then dried. Rubber latex, owing to soluble in the ordinary solvents or mateits fluidity, readily penetrates between the individual fibres composing the fabric and binds them firmly together, so that when in use it is impossible for the hair to unravel. As is well known ordinary rubber cement is made from rubber which has been milled or broken down, and the solution obtained by dissolving such rubber in an organic solvent contains a relatively smallpercentage. of rubber, and does not readily penetrate into the fibres of a fabric, so that the latter cannot be as thoroughly impregnated as in the case of rubber latex. The most important respect, however, in which the latex treated haircloth is superior is that the nat ural latex rubber contained therein is in 1 an unmilled or unbroken down condition and is therefore not readily soluble in the ordinary rubbersolvents. For instance a sample of hair cloth which had been soaked for fifteen minutes in rubber latex containing about 35% rubber. solids and dried was found to be practically unaffected after soaking foreighteen hours in carbon tetrachloride, and'the hairs of the fabric were.

still firmly held in position.

If desired the rubber cloth may be vulcanized, provided the vulcanization is effected at a. temperature low enough to prevent injury tothe hair. As an example a piece of haircloth ma be immersed' in rubber latex of 25% rub r solids and containing curing ingredients embodymg low temperature curing accelerators.

After drying the cloth may be allowed to cure at ordinary temperatures, or the cure may be hastened by heat, but the temperature should not be raised to such a point as to injure the hair, and it has been found that temperatures from 150 to 200 F. are suitable. One means of carrying out the above impregnated hairis to employ latex which contains 1- part of zinc dimethyldithiocarbamate, 1 part of so-called zincoxide and 3 parts of sulphur on 100 parts of rubber. Haircloth impregnated with this mixture and dried will'vulcanize satisfactorily overnight at 150 F. or in 2 hours at 200 F. Asample of haircloth treated in this manner was also soaked in carbon tetrachloride for eighteen hours, at the end of which time the hairs were still firmly fixed in place.

Instead of using rubber latex the hair cloth may be impregnated with one of the cold cure cements, the solvent allowed to evaporate, and vulcanization secured with or without elevating the temperature. One means of accomplishing this is to treat the haircloth with rubber cement containing 100 parts of rubber, 20 parts of zinc oxide, 3 parts of zincv butyl xanthogenate 1% parts of dibenzylamine and 3 parts of sulphur, which after evaporation of the solvent will vulcanize satisfactorily in 48 hours at room temperature or in 30 minutes at 200 F. A sample of material treated in this manner was soaked in carbon tetrachloride for four hours, when it was found that the hairs Were still firmly fixed in place. Another means for accom result is to impregnate t rubber cement containing 100 parts of rubber, 20 parts of zinc oxide, 3 parts of dibenzylamine, 3 parts of sulphur. After the solvent has dried out the treated haircloth is painted with carbon disulphide. Thereafter the rubber will cure in 48 hours at ordie haircloth with nary temperatures or in 60 minutes at 200 It is preferred, however, to use latex for its insolubility after co.- its strength, and the firm union between it and the fibres. It is also obvious that if desired the material may be vulcanized by the well known cold cure method, using sulphur monochloride in liquid or gaseous form. In still another modification, the material may be impregnated by the use of a solution of vulcanized rubber, and the solvent driven off, leaving a deposit of vulcanized rubber in the haircloth.

Haircloth treated according to the invention is especially adapted for use by tailors,

lishing the same nating it with rubber latex,

& the impregnation owing to its greater' penetrative power, agulation,

tegrate in a similar manner.

While the invention has been described in detail it is obvious that numerous modifica- I tions will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and it is not desired that it-be limited otherwise than as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is v 1. The process against raveling which comprises impregnating it with a fluid containing a flexible rubber containing binder relatively insoluble in rubber solvents after deposition, and removing the fluid contents to deposit the binder in the haircloth.

2. The process of proofing haircloth against raveling which comprises impregand drying, and allowing it to vulcanize at temperatures not injurious to the haircloth.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a

woven haircloth having the individual fibres thereof held against slipping by a binder of the solid constituents of rubber latex relatively insoluble in rubber solvents.

4. As a new article of manufacture a llzaircloth impregnated with dried latex rub- 5. As a new article of manufacture a haircloth impregnated with vulcanized latex rubber.

6; As a new article of manufacture a haircloth impregnated with a low temperature vulcanized latex rubber. k

Signed at New York, county of New York, and State of New York, this 13 day of July, 1923.

ERNEST B. CURTIS.

of proofing haircloth 

